Nintendo confirms 3DS launch date for UK

Nintendo has finally announced the official release date for its three-dimensional hand-held gaming console.

The 3DS, which should have been in the shops this Christmas, and could have been blinding young children and forcing sane adults to consider infanticide by now, has be subjected to several unexplained delays.

At a launch shindig in Amsterdam earlier today, Nintendo finally announced that the dual-screen gadget will hit the UK, and the rest of Europe, on March 25th.

Just in case you haven't seen the thousands of 'leaked' images and whatnot which have been plagueing the Internet for months, the 3DS has a normal touchscreen display on its horizontal surface and an 800x240 one which pumps 400x240 pixels into each of your eyeballs using a lenticular overlay. Basically, it's a fancy lens wich shoots the left and right images off at slightly different angles.

Nintendo also promises to have more than 30 game titles available at launch, including a 3D remix of an old favourite in the form of Street Fighter 4 3D.

The Japanese outfit, which turned gaming on its head with the launch of the Wii console, is still prevaricating about the eventual price, no doubt keen to see how the Yen is standing up to international currencies before making a commitment.

But it looks like a price war has already started with HMV putting up a pre-order page pegging the gadget at £229.99 closely followed by Play.com which reckons £219.99 is nearer the money.